Offenses related to controlled substances are taken very seriously in the state of New York and those who are accused of drug crimes should consult with a Schenectady drug defense lawyer to get help in fighting charges.
Just recently, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced legislation to make the drug laws even stricter within the state. This crackdown would add new types of controlled substances to the state’s list of illegal narcotics. These substances that would be added to New York’s controlled substances list are all already illegal under federal law.
New York Aiming to Crack Down on Synthetic Marijuana
According to the New York Post, there are a total of 35 new types of synthetic marijuana that Governor Cuomo wants to add to the state’s controlled substances list. There are also 11 different types of fentanyl that the Governor has proposed legislation to add to the list.
The governor has indicated that a crackdown on new versions of fentanyl and synthetic marijuana is necessary because manufacturers are able to continue creating new drugs that are just slightly different than those which are already prohibited by law. Cuomo described the process as a “game” to the drug manufacturers, who he indicates will go to the lab in response to new laws and simply make minor modifications to the formula so they can sell slightly different substances that are no longer expressly prohibited by current laws.
Cuomo’s announcement on his proposed legislation to crack down on synthetic marijuana followed an incident in which 1,000 packets of a synthetic version of the drug were seized from a gas station in Long Island.
The governor believes that it is important to continue to ensure that newer versions of synthetic drugs are regulated as those drug formulas change so that law enforcement officials will continue to have effective tools in their arsenal to seize controlled substances as well as to bring charges against those individuals who sell synthetic versions of marijuana and fentanyl.
The crackdown also comes at a time when there has been a substantial increase in the number of overdose related fatalities in the state of New York. Between 2015 and 2016, for example, there was almost a 35 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths in the state. Deaths related to fentanyl also increased dramatically, with close to a 160 percent increase in the number of deaths connected to fentanyl between 2015 and 2016.
With the crackdown on new types of synthetic fentanyl and synthetic marijuana, it is important for all drug manufacturers to know the rules and to understand exactly what New York law prohibits.
If you are accused of involvement with manufacturing, distribution or possession of synthetic marijuana, fentanyl, or other controlled narcotics which are illegal in New York, you should take action quickly to try to defend yourself from charges that could possibly result in serious penalties including jail time. You can contact a Schenectady drug defense lawyer to find out about your options for responding to the charges against you to try and protect your freedom.
